The cost of technological advancement exposed in Faust, The Accident, The Life of Galileo, Oppenheimer and Physicists Since the beginning of time, l man has taken every possible step to advance technology. Advances in medicine, aviation, science, and other fields have made our world a better place to live. But there have also been technological developments that have perhaps harmed humanity far more than the benefits they have brought. Through their works, five German authors ask readers a very difficult question: is it really worth using technology? These authors present many common themes. In this essay I will discuss these issues and how they relate to the social cost of technological progress. The first play I read last semester was Goethe's "Faust." This play focuses on the life of the scientist and doctor Faust. Faust is a very intelligent man who has excelled in life as a scientist and doctor. Even though everyone admires him and thinks he's a great man, he still thinks he doesn't know enough. He believes that every bit of knowledge there is to be had must be achieved. This belief, combined with the unhappiness he feels about life, leads him to make the final decision which, in turn, ruins both his life and the lives of others, all because he was selfish and wanted to know everything but couldn't. alone. Faust made a bet with Mephistopheles, the devil. This bargaining with the devil is something the mind should never know about. Two people ended up dying because of the involvement Faust had in their lives because of this little bet he made with Mephisto. And the only question you can ask yourself is: “was it really worth watching others die just so I could be happy?” And the answer is no. He watched the woman he loved and her brother die in front of him because of his selfishness, his desire to squeeze life and knowledge for all they were worth. And what did Faust gain from it? In my opinion, nothing. He just lost. There are things in the world that are worth knowing. Some things are even worth facing extremely great trials to know. But in Faust's case, he was childish, immature and selfish. He became so depressed that he had to find out more, even though most people would have killed to be as lucky as him.